Two-wheeled vehicle



(No Model.)

D. M. SEOHLER.

TWO WHEELBYD VEHICLE.

No. 324,886. Patented A11 25, 1885..

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N. PETERS. PholuLithographcr, Washin ton, D. c.

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DANI EL M. SEOHLER,

OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

TWO-WHEELED VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 324,886, dated August 25, 1885.

Application filed June 4, 1885. (X0 model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL M. SECHLER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Oincinnati, in'the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Two-YVheeled Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of the first part of my invention is to attach the [hills of a two-wheeled vehicle to the body thereof in such manner as to relieve the latter of the disagreeable vertical vibrations incidental to the motions of the horse. To accomplish this result I mount the vehicle on any approved form of riding spring or springs and support the front portion of the body on a rod or bar, which 1 have designated as the pivot-shaft, because it serves as the fulcrum or center of motion for the thills. The opposite ends of this pivot-shaft are immovabl y fastened either to the thills or equivalent draft members, and suitable necks or journals are formed on said shaft near the thills, which necks are adapted to rock within bearings secured to the body of the vehicle. Applied to this shaft at or near its mid-length is one end of a spring, whose other end is securely fastened to the vehicle body, the ob ject of this spring being to permit the pivot shaft to rock in eitherdirection within its bearings after the tension of said spring has been overcome. The aforesaid spring is confined within a housing attached to the front wall of the well or pit of the body, the free end of the spring being inserted in a slotted hub or boss, through which latter is passed the pivot-shaft previously alluded to. Furthermore, thishub is keyed or otherwise fastened to the pivotshaft, so as to rock therewith, as hereinafter more fully described.

The second part of my invention comprises a peculiar construction of keeper that limits both vertical and lateral or horizontal play of the rear ends of the thills, and also prevents said thills being disengaged from the vehicle in case the pivot-shaft should break. This keeper consists of a plate or frame projecting from the side of the body, which plate is slotted vertically to permit the passage of a bolt, the latter being tapped into the rear end of the thill and being free to traverse said slot. It is preferred to surround a portion of this bolt with an india-rubber bushing to pre vent rattling within said slot, as hereinafter more fully described.

The third part of my invention comprises a recessed and flanged box, which is attached to the thills and carries one end of the pivotshaft, the flange servingto prevent end-play of the latter, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the front portion of atwo wheeled vehicle embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the under side of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the pivot-shaft and its accessories. Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section of the housing that contains the pivot-shaft spring. Fig. 5is an enlarged side elevation of one of the boxes wherewith the pivot-shaft is immovably fastened to the thills. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the flanged cap of said box. Fig. 7 is a modification of the invention. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section of the shaft-keeper and its accessories. Fig. 9 is a frontelevation of said keeper.

A represents the front part of a two wheeled vehicle, which may be mounted on any approved form of riding-springs, portions of the latter being seen at B B.

y 0 represents the customary well or pit of the body, the front wall, a, ofthe samehaving attached to it a housing composed of a fixed member, D, and a detachable cap, E, which members D E may be secured with bolts F or otherwise. This housing I) E affords a bearing for eylindrioa-l'collais G G, projecting from the opposite ends of a hub or boss, H, the latter having a slotted or forked extension, I, within which plays the free end of a short plate-spring, J, composed of one, two, or more leaves, as circumstances may suggest. The fixed end of this spring is clamped between the members D E ofthe housing, and said members are chambered out at d e, respectively, to permit sufficient play of the free end of said spring. Passing completely through this hub H and its collar G G, and rigidly fastened therein, is the pivot-shaft K, previously referred to. This shaft may be of any suitable shape; but practical experience has demonstrated that a square bar of iron or steel can be more conveniently used than any other form. Said shaft is accordingly shown as being squarein transverse section, thereby avoiding the use of pins, keys, or other retaining devices for fastening it to the hub H G G. Cylindrical necks k is are made near the opposite ends of the shaft, as seen in Fig. 3, which necks are journaled in bearings L L, depending from the side sills or frame of the body, said shaft being carried out beyond these hearings to connect with the thillsN N of the vehicle. This connection may be made in any manner that will permit the shaft K to rock with every vertical vibration of the thillsNN,or, in other words, the aforesaid shaft must serve as the pivot, fulcrum, or center of motion of said thills. Therefore, as the pivot shaft is square, I make a rightangled recess, 0, in a strap, 0, secured to the under side of the thill, as seen in Fig. 5, which recess is equal to half the depth of said shaft. P is a cap similarly recessed at p, and adapted to be retained against the under side of strap 0 by bolts It.

S is a flange projecting upwardly from the outer end of the recess 1), so as to serve as a stop that prevents the shaft K working out of the box 0 0 P p,- but the stop S (seen in Fig. 3) closes the outer end of the recess 0, it being understood that the boxes of the two thills are precisely alike, and that the extreme rear ends of the latter have tapped into them bolts n n, that traverse slots t of keepers T T, which latterare provided with flanges or ears to permit their secure attachment to the body A.

It is preferred to surround a portion of the bolts n n with an india-rnbber bushing, W as seen in Fig. 10.

From this description it is apparent that the bolts n n have sufficient vertical play within the slots t to allow for any necessary vibration of the rear end of the thills, while at the same time said slots prevent lateral play or spreading of these draft members N N. arrangement of slotted platesand bolts is that said devices serve as keepers which prevent the thills being detached from the vehicle in case the pivot-shaft K should break or the bearing L L work loose from the body A. In this event, the bolts 11. a would still aiford a secure hold on the plates T T. It is also apparent that any raising or lowering of the front ends of the thills N N Another advantage incidental to this will cause the pivotshaft K to rock in the bearings L L, because said shaft is rigidly attached to said thills; but the very moment the shaft begins to rock in either direction it is resisted by the spring J, on account of the free end of the latter being inserted in the slotted hub that turns with said shaft. Uonsequently this spring serves as an equalizing device that receives and takes up the vibrations of the thills, and thereby prevents the horse motion being transmitted to the vehicle-body.

The invention maybe modified by using two separate and distinct pivot-shafts, one for each thill, and causing the innerends of said shafts to abut within the hub H, as indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 3, by which arrangement a single equalizing-spring would be sufticientfor both ofsaid shafts but in Fig. 7 two disconnected pivot-shafts, K K, are shown, and each shaft is furnished with an independent housing that contains a separate spring for said shafts.

I claim as my invention 1. A two-wheeled vehiclesupported in front upon a transverse pivot-shaft, K 70 la, and bearings L L, the opposite extremities tr said shaft being rigidly attached to the thills N N, and a forked hub, G GH I, being applied at or near the mid-length of said shaft, which fork I receives the free end of a spring, J, whose fixed end is secured in a housing, D d E e, fastened to the vehicle-body, and serving as a bearing for the hub G G H I, substantially as herein describid.

2. A pivot-shaft bearing consisting of the recessed strapOo, recessed cap P p, and flange S, arranged to serve as a stop that prevents end shifting of the shaft, substantially as herein described.

3. The bolts a a, tapped into the rear ends of thillsN N, and traversing the vertical slots t of keepers T T, which latter are rigidly attached to the opposite sides of the body, for the purpose specified.

4. The pivot-shaft K, inserted in the hub H G G, whose collars G G are journaled in the housing D E, as herein described.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature.

Witnesses JAMES H. LAYMAN, S. S. CARPENTER. 

